I mostly use Apple gear, including an iPhone, and even I thought
the ad was clever.

It's an interesting take on a smartphone campaign. Instead of
touting specs and features, Samsung is going right for Apple's
jugular, mocking the fanboy culture while saying "hey, there are
other great smartphones out there too."

It's a ballsy move. And it's sure to attract first time
smartphone buyers as opposed to those already married to their
iPhones.

I got to chat with two Samsung execs behind the new campaign,
Todd Pendleton, Samsung's Chief Marketing Officer, and Brian
Wallace, Samsung's VP of Strategic Marketing, about why the
company decided to take this route with the new campaign.

Before I get into what they said, you really should watch the ad
first:

More ads are coming soon. They'll hit Samsung Mobile's Facebook
page first and start airing with football games on Thanksgiving
day.

Now for what drove the campaign. Here's my Q&A with Pendleton
and Wallace:

BI: Start off with the history of this new
campaign. Where did
the idea come from?

Pendleton: We've already done a great job at
promoting the Galaxy S II from Samsung's point of view. Now we
want to show the voice of the consumer and play into the
conversations and debate going on in a real way.

BI: What about the Galaxy Nexus? Isn't that
supposed to be your flagship phone this year?

Pendleton: They're both a big thing. Right now
the GSII is the main lead product. GSII is a great product for us
and we feel it's the best smartphone on the market today. There
will be future work on the Galaxy Nexus next year.

BI: Is the goal of the campaign to get iPhone
users to switch or pull in people buying a smartphone for the
first time?

Wallace: We're not targeting fanboys. We're not
going to convert them. We're using them as a foil to target
current Android users upgrading to a new phone and people
entering the smartphone market for the first time.

BI: Why is the focus more on poking fun at the
Apple culture as opposed to what sets the Galaxy S II apart from
the iPhone?

Pendleton: I don't think it's poking fun. We
wanted everyone to be aware of the GSII. Everyone knows about the
lines for the iPhone launches. We want to use that as a device to
show that the next big thing is already here.

Wallace: It's not so much as making fun as Apple
culture. It's people not thinking rationally on this. They're
allowing a brand to define who they are. That's not exclusive to
Apple, either.

BI: Are you worried about alienating iPhone
owners who may want to switch?

Pendleton: No, I think this is done with a wink
and a smile. Just from initial reactions, even Apple owners and
lovers are talking about this in a positive way. We're seeing
positive quotes from people out there who may no be willing to
buy our product.

BI: Why do you keep making the "4G" claim in the
ad? The iPhone 4S on AT&T runs on the carrier's HSPA+ "4G"
network, just like the Galaxy S II does.

Wallace: Yes, we thought of that. There's a lack
of clear definition about what 4G is. When
you go to technical speed comparisons [between the iPhone 4S and
Galaxy S II], those speak for themselves. We clearly have faster
networks than the iPhone.

[Editor's note: There are a lot of variables to "4G" data
speeds. Take that claim with a grain of salt]

BI: Is this the only video in the campaign or is
there more?

Wallace: There'll be a 90 second version
launching tomorrow [November 23] and a series of three 30 second
spots and three 15 second spots. All will launch on Facebook
first. The shorter spots go into individual storylines of the
characters.